What is a lintel?

What is a lintel?

• A. A vertical support for a doorway
• B. A decorative molding above a doorway
• C. A horizontal member at the base of a window
• D. Support for a masonry opening, usually steel or special form, such as pre-cast concrete

Answer: (D)

A lintel is a horizontal structural member placed above an opening, such as a doorway, that carries the weight of the wall above and transfers it to the sides. In masonry, lintels are often made of steel, reinforced concrete, or precast concrete to span the opening and prevent the wall from sagging or cracking. A vertical support for a doorway would be a jamb or column, not a lintel. A decorative molding above a doorway is cosmetic, not structural. A horizontal member at the base of a window is a sill, not the opening’s load-bearing top. So the lintel's role is to provide reliable support for a masonry opening, typically using steel or a special form like precast concrete.

A lintel is a horizontal structural member placed above an opening, such as a doorway, that carries the weight of the wall above and transfers it to the sides. In masonry, lintels are often made of steel, reinforced concrete, or precast concrete to span the opening and prevent the wall from sagging or cracking. A vertical support for a doorway would be a jamb or column, not a lintel. A decorative molding above a doorway is cosmetic, not structural. A horizontal member at the base of a window is a sill, not the opening’s load-bearing top. So the lintel's role is to provide reliable support for a masonry opening, typically using steel or a special form like precast concrete.